Hobbies And Interests
Battery Prep
How often have you tried to take an adorable bath time photograph, only to find the camera's batteries are dead? Keep your camera's battery charged at all times and keep a back up nearby. If you take multiple pictures daily, consider keeping one battery in the camera bag and one in the camera, ready to switch out at any time. You cannot take candid shots of your children if your camera isn't charged.
Lens and Zoom
When photographing you children refrain from using wide-angle lenses which can distort your child's face. Zoom can be extremely helpful feature to help get a closer shot of your child, but make sure to use optical zoom, not digital. The digital zoom results in lower quality images and more pixelation. Telephoto lenses allow you to zoom from long distances without sacrificing quality and to photograph your child when they don't know they are being photographed.
Child Eye Level and Action
Get down on a knee to get to eye level with your child. These pictures will appear more intimate than photos taken from the perspective of your normal height. When you take photos from above, the subjects looks smaller than they actually are while their heads appear larger. Take photos of your children doing things, not simply looking away from you. Crawl around with them at home or on the playground, and take photos as they play, slide or climb the monkey bars. Photograph them when they are sitting down to read or stacking a pile of blocks.
Lighting and Time of Day
Natural lighting is always better for candid photos. Indoor and fluorescent lighting can make your child's skin appear sallow or greenish. Bright flash will wash them out. When taking outdoor photos, note the position of the sun in the sky. Mid-day is often the worst time to take pictures. The shadows created from the sun are harsh and unflattering to your child. Instead, shoot them during what film makers call the "golden hour," right before sunset. This will enable you to capture warmer skin tone and take photos that are full of life.
Shutter Speed
When photographing children, shutter speed is extremely important. Set the shutter speed at 1/125th of a second or faster to capture your child in action. Anything slower can result in blurry photographs.
Quantity Creates Quality
Take as many pictures as possible. With candid photos, you never know when you will get your best shot so take more pictures than you think you'll need and don't review them between shots. Keep your eye on your child and your finger on the camera's shutter ready for the next wonderful shot. These moments only last an instant and are gone. The more images you capture, the better chance you have of taking a photograph your family will treasure for many years.